Bhagavad Gītā · Chapter 6, Verse 33
अर्जुन उवाच
योऽयं योगस्त्वया प्रोक्तः साम्येन मधुसूदन।
एतस्याहं न पश्यामि चञ्चलत्वात् स्थितिं स्थिराम्।।
योऽयं योगस्त्वया प्रोक्तः साम्येन मधुसूदन।
एतस्याहं न पश्यामि चञ्चलत्वात् स्थितिं स्थिराम्।।
arjuna uvāca
yo ’yaṁ yogas tvayā proktaḥ sāmyena madhusūdana
etasyāhaṁ na paśyāmi cañcalatvāt sthitiṁ sthirām
also searched as "yo yam yogas tvaya proktah samyena madhusudana"
Translation
Arjuna said, "O Krsna, this Yoga of reality, which You have declared, I do not see how it can be steady due to the fickleness of the mind."
Vāṇi's rendering
This yoga of evenness you describe, Krishna — I cannot see it lasting. The mind is too restless.
Word by word
| Sanskrit & transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|
| अर्जुनःarjunaḥ | Arjuna |
| उवाचuvāca | said |
| यःyaḥ | which (yo, before the vowel of ayam) |
| अयम्ayam | this |
| योगःyogaḥ | yoga, this practice |
| त्वयाtvayā | by you |
| प्रोक्तःproktaḥ | has been spoken, declared |
| साम्येनsāmyena | as evenness, by way of sameness |
| मधुसूदनmadhusūdana | O Madhusūdana — Krishna, slayer of the demon Madhu |
| एतस्यetasya | of this (joined with aham as etasyāham) |
| अहम्aham | I |
| नna | not |
| पश्यामिpaśyāmi | I see |
| चञ्चलत्वात्cañcalatvāt | because of restlessness, from the flickering nature of the mind |
| स्थितिम्sthitim | a standing, a footing that lasts |
| स्थिराम्sthirām | steady, unshaking |
Frequently asked
What does Bhagavad Gita Chapter 6 Verse 33 mean?
Arjuna interrupts. Krishna has described a mind level with pleasure and pain, seeing one self in all beings, and Arjuna answers that he cannot see such evenness holding — the mind is cañcala, flickering. He does not deny the teaching. He confesses he has no footing for it.
What does yo yam yogas tvaya proktah samyena madhusudana mean?
This yoga of evenness you have described, Madhusūdana — I do not see a steady footing for it. Sāmya is sameness of regard; sthitiṁ sthirām is a standing that does not wobble. Arjuna is saying the goal is clear and the ground beneath it is not.
Why does Arjuna call Krishna Madhusudana here?
Madhusūdana means slayer of the demon Madhu. Arjuna uses it exactly when he faces something in himself he cannot kill. The restless mind has become his demon, and the name is a quiet request: you have done this before, do it now, for me.
Is it wrong to admit that my mind is too restless to meditate?
Arjuna admits it to Krishna's face, and the Gītā does not rebuke him — Krishna answers with abhyāsa and vairāgya, steady repetition and loosened grip. The admission is not failure. It is the only place from which instruction can actually be received.
Themes in this verse
Read every verse this way, held — inside Vāṇi.
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Commentary
Arjuna has just been told about the yogi who sees the same self everywhere. He does not argue with it. He says he cannot hold it — a different objection, and a more honest one. Not this is wrong, but my mind will not stay still long enough to try. Notice he calls Krishna Madhusūdana, slayer of demons: kill this one too. Every practice you have abandoned was abandoned here, in the gap between seeing the teaching's beauty and finding your attention unable to sit in it. Arjuna does not quietly quit. He says it aloud, to the one who might answer.